Panama City-Bay County International Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Panama City-Bay County International Airport


IATA = PFN
ICAO = KPFN
FAA = PFN
type = Public
owner = Panama City-Bay County Airport and Industrial District
operator =
city-served = Panama City, Florida
location =
elevation-f = 20
elevation-m = 6
coordinates = coord|30|12|44|N|085|40|58|W|region:US_type:airport
website = [http://www.pcairport.com/ www.PCairport.com]
r1-number = 14/32
r1-length-f = 6,308
r1-length-m = 1,923
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 5/23
r2-length-f = 4,884
r2-length-m = 1,489
r2-surface = Asphalt
stat-year = 2006
stat1-header = Aircraft operations
stat1-data = 88,059
stat2-header = Based aircraft
stat2-data = 160
footnotes = Source: Federal Aviation AdministrationFAA-airport|ID=PFN|use=PU|own=PU|site=03430.1*A, effective 2008-04-10]

Panama City-Bay County International Airport airport codes|PFN|KPFN|PFN is a public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) northwest of the central business district of Panama City, in Bay County, Florida, United States. It is owned by the Panama City-Bay County Airport District.

History

Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) began as a private field owned by J.B. Atkins, a citizen of Panama City. The facility consisted of 292 acres (1.2 km²) of land with grass landing strips. In 1932, Atkins donated the property to the Panama City Chamber of Commerce so that a city airport could be established. At that time the airport was named Atkins Field. In 1938, Panama City and the Bay County Commissioners joined forces to develop the Airport through the construction of an airport terminal and extensive airfield expansion. The facility’s $604,000 development project included the construction of a small passenger terminal and two convert|4000|ft|m|sing=on intersecting runways. After the expansion was completed, the Airport was renamed Fannin Field in honor of the Panama City mayor during this period.

Throughout World War II, the Airport was used as a Civil Air Patrol facility. In 1943, the Florida legislature approved the formation of an Airport Authority, the Panama City-Bay County Airport and Industrial District, to manage Fannin Field, or Panama City-Bay County Airport, as it became commonly known. In 1948, commercial operations at the airport commenced.

The Airport continued to be served by commercial airlines throughout the regulated period of airline history, until the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the Airport had many airlines serving the facility with jet aircraft. However, the flight service offered was mainly point-to-point, therefore there were few destinations offered, and, in turn, passenger enplanements were low.

In 1992, the Airport was designated as an international airport and renamed Panama City-Bay County International Airport. At this time, the Airport was equipped with on-call customs and immigrations facilities provided through the Port of Panama City. In addition, the Airport was also declared a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), a location which allows special customs procedures to be used. These procedures permit domestic activity involving foreign items to take place as though they were outside of a U.S. Customs territory.

In 1995, the Airport went through an extensive development program, demolishing their old terminal building and constructing a new convert|55573|sqft|m2|sing=on facility with six gate areas, two equipped with jetbridges. Additional enhancements to the terminal included concession areas, a passenger hold room, airline ticketing counters and office space, airport administration offices, public and rental car parking lots, and an expanded terminal apron.

Facilities and aircraft

Panama City-Bay County International Airport covers an area of 745 acres (301 ha) at an elevation of 20 feet (6 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 14/32 measuring 6,308 x 150 ft (1,923 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 4,884 x 150 ft (1,489 x 46 m).

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 88,059 aircraft operations, an average of 241 per day: 72% general aviation, 13% air taxi (11,080), 10% military and 5% scheduled commercial. At that time there were 160 aircraft based at this airport: 58% single-engine, 18% multi-engine, 9% jet and 15% helicopter.

The Airport also boasts a convert|55573|sqft|m2|sing=on terminal complete with six gates. Two of the six gates are equipped with jet bridges, eliminating the need for air stairs for jet aircraft. Currently the six gates are assigned as follows:
* Gate 1 - Currently Unassigned
* Gate 2 - Northwest Airlink (Jet Bridge) - Used for Northwest Airlink CRJs
* Gate 3 - Northwest Airlink - Formerly used for SAAB 340
* Gate 4 - Delta Connection - This gate handles most of the Delta Connection aircraft (ATR 72-210) coming into the airport.
* Gate 5 - Delta Connection (Jet Bridge) - Occasionally used for Delta Connection flights on CRJs.
* Gate 6 - Currently unused as US Airways Express have discontinued flights to Charlotte.

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines fly to Panama City-Bay County International Airport:
* Delta Air Lines
** Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Atlanta)
* Northwest Airlines
** Northwest Airlink operated by Pinnacle Airlines (Memphis)

Former airlines and destinations

* Air New Orleans (Fort Walton Beach, Tampa)
* American Airlines
** American Eagle (Nashville)
* Delta Air Lines
** Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Orlando)
** Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth)
** Delta Connection operated by Comair (Cincinnati)
* Dolphin Airlines (Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa)
* Republic Airlines (Atlanta, Fort Walton Beach)
* Southern Airways (Atlanta, Orlando, Tallahassee)
* US Airways
** US Airways Express (Charlotte, Fort Walton Beach, Orlando, Tampa)

References

External links

* [http://www.pcairport.com/ Panama City-Bay County International Airport]
* [http://pcairport.pbsjis.com/ Panama City-Bay County International Airport Relocation]
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